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A geriatric patient is MOST accurately defined as a person who:
A. has decreased mobility.
B. is older than 65 years.
C. receives social security benefits.
D. cannot take care of himself or herself.
B. is older than 65 years.
Upon entering the residence of an elderly woman who complains of nausea and weakness, you see a
pair of eyeglasses on an adjacent end table and a small dog sitting calmly near the patient. As you
approach the patient, you should:
A. remove the dog and begin your assessment.
B. introduce yourself and ask her if she can see.
C. conclude that she is blind and keep her calm.
D. place her glasses on her to improve her vision.
B. introduce yourself and ask her if she can see.
A patient with a hip fracture typically presents with:
A. shortening of the injured leg with the toes pointed inward.
B. lengthening of the injured leg with the foot rotated inward.
C. shortening of the injured leg with the toes pointed outward.
D. lengthening of the injured leg with the foot rotated outward.
C. shortening of the injured leg with the toes pointed outward.
Which of the following is the LEAST common cause of altered mental status in elderly patients?
A. hypothermia
B. low blood glucose level
C. intentional drug overdose
D. lack of oxygen to the brain
C. intentional drug overdose
The MOST common cause of dementia in the elderly is:
A. a massive stroke.
B. progressive senility.
C. Parkinson’s disease.
D. Alzheimer disease.
D. Alzheimer disease.
Which of the following statements regarding the aging process is correct?
A. The natural process of aging results in a gradual decline in the functioning of all body systems.
B. Heredity and lifestyle choices have no influence on the speed with which body functions decline.
C. Most elderly patients have lost their full mental capacity by the time they reach 70 years of age.
D. Deterioration of body functions is a rapid process that begins as soon as a person reaches 50 years of
age.
A. The natural process of aging results in a gradual decline in the functioning of all body systems.
13. You are helping EMTs load an elderly man into the ambulance when the patient tells you that he
cannot see and that he left his eyeglasses in his living room. The patient is stable and is being transported
for a minor fall. You should:
A. ask the EMTs to wait until you can retrieve the patient’s glasses.
B. reassure the patient that you will bring his glasses to the hospital.
C. accompany the patient to the hospital and reassure him en route.
D. advise the patient that he will not need his glasses in the hospital.
A. ask the EMTs to wait until you can retrieve the patient’s glasses
Which of the following medical conditions cause the MOST number of deaths in the elderly
population?
A. respiratory diseases and diabetes
B. Parkinson’s disease and diabetes
C. cancer and cardiovascular diseases
D. cardiovascular diseases and respiratory diseases
D. cardiovascular diseases and respiratory diseases
What would MOST likely happen if two doctors who are seeing the same patient for different
conditions do not communicate effectively with each other?
A. The patient would be much more likely to take higher doses of one or more medications intentionally.
B. Medications prescribed by one doctor may interfere with the action of medications prescribed by the
other doctor.
C. The patient would become very discouraged and would most likely stop taking all of his or her
prescription medications.
D. The patient would take the medications prescribed by the doctor that he or she knows and trusts more.
B. Medications prescribed by one doctor may interfere with the action of medications prescribed by the other doctor.
Hospice programs are designed to:
A. provide pain relief and other supportive care to patients experiencing a terminal condition.
B. rehabilitate elderly patients who are temporarily incapacitated by minor illnesses or injuries.
C. ensure that terminally ill patients receive adequate pain relief by administering medications through an
intravenous (IV) line.
D. provide around-the-clock care to terminally ill patients who remain in the hospital for a long time.
A. provide pain relief and other supportive care to patients experiencing a terminal condition.
You will achieve a greater rapport with older patients if you:
A. show respect for their family.
B. conduct a brief physical exam
C. treat each person as an individual.
D. acknowledge that they are elderly.
C. treat each person as an individual.
A person with osteoporosis has:
A. a loss of bone strength resulting from a lack of calcium.
B. bones that are of increased density and strength.
C. muscle weakness secondary to poor dietary habits.
D. decreased pain sensitivity because of nerve deterioration.
A. a loss of bone strength resulting from a lack of calcium.
When assessing geriatric patients, it is important to remember that:
A. they are much more likely to experience severe chest pain during a heart attack.
B. they usually do not understand you and cannot provide a reliable medical history.
C. most of their signs and symptoms are related to undiagnosed cancer or diabetes.
D. they may not experience classic signs and symptoms of many medical conditions.
D. they may not experience classic signs and symptoms of many medical conditions.
Depression occurs in only a small portion of the geriatric population and tends to affect men more
commonly than women.
B. Depression is the most common psychiatric condition experienced by older patients and occurs more
frequently in women than in men.
C. Depression is most common in geriatric patients who take few medications and who live with
immediate family members or close friends.
D. Depression is the third most common psychiatric condition among geriatric patients and most often
develops after the age of 75 years.
B. Depression is the most common psychiatric condition experienced by older patients and occurs more frequently in women than in men.
An advance directive is MOST accurately defined as a:
A. legal document that allows healthcare providers to determine whether or not resuscitative efforts
should be initiated on a patient.
B. document that provides instructions to medical caregivers regarding the care the patient wants if he or she is unable to communicate.
C. court order that clearly defines what care a physician deems appropriate for a patient who is expected
to die within the next 6 months.
D. document signed by the patient and his or her family that outlines the care to be provided when the
patient becomes incapacitated.
B. document that provides instructions to medical caregivers regarding the care the patient wants if he or she is unable to communicate.
You respond to the residence of an 80-year-old woman who fell. When you enter the patient’s home,
you find her sitting on the couch. She is wearing several layers of clothing and complains of pain to her
left arm, shoulder, and hip. Responding emergency medical technicians (EMTs) are en route to the scene.
After ensuring a patent airway and adequate breathing and circulation, you should:
A. contact a family member and obtain consent to assess her and provide further treatment.
B. obtain her medical history by speaking with an elevated tone of voice directly into her ear.
C. leave her clothing in place to prevent hypothermia and keep her still until the EMTs arrive.
D. carefully remove enough clothing so that you can conduct a complete full-body assessment.
D. carefully remove enough clothing so that you can conduct a complete full-body assessment.
After fracturing a bone, it is common for geriatric patients to:
A. attempt to drive themselves to the emergency department.
B. experience severe pain because of hypersensitive nerve fibers.
C. experience little pain and not realize the seriousness of their injury.
D. refuse emergency medical care because they are senile and paranoid.
C. experience little pain and not realize the seriousness of their injury.
Because many elderly patients have a weakened immune system, they are especially susceptible to:
A. pneumonia.
B. emphysema.
C. heart failure.
D. high blood pressure.
A. pneumonia.
Suicide in the elderly population:
A. occurs most frequently in men and results in more deaths per attempt because they choose more lethal means than younger patients.
B. is the leading cause of death in patients older than 65 years and occurs with much greater frequency in
women with a chronic disease.
C. occurs infrequently because most elderly patients are incapacitated and cannot acquire the means with
which to end their own lives.
D. is more common in women than in men and usually is the result of intentional overdose of
medications used to treat multiple medical conditions.
A. occurs most frequently in men and results in more deaths per attempt because they choose more lethal means than younger patients.
Elder abuse is hard to detect because:
A. the patient’s injuries are often attributed to falls and other age-related mechanisms of injury.
B. those at the highest risk are also isolated from public view if they are confined to their homes or an assisted care facility.
C. the abuser usually inflicts injuries to areas of the patient’s body where healthcare providers are least
likely to look.
D. emergency care providers often perform an incomplete physical examination of the patient and tend to
overlook the injuries.
B. those at the highest risk are also isolated from public view if they are confined to their homes or an assisted care facility.
Effective ways of communicating with a hearing-impaired person include all of the following,
EXCEPT:
A. writing down your questions on paper.
B. identifying yourself and speaking slowly.
C. facing the person and maintaining eye contact.
D. getting close to the person’s ear and shouting.
D. getting close to the person’s ear and shouting.
When performing your primary assessment of an elderly patient who fell at home, it is MOST
important to:
A. educate the patient about safety precautions in the home.
B. consider that a medical condition may have caused the fall.
C. locate a member of the patient’s family as soon as possible.
D. suspect abuse if the patient has experienced a major fracture.
B. consider that a medical condition may have caused the fall.
Patients with cancer usually request emergency medical service (EMS):
A. because of the fact that they have cancer.
B. when complications from cancer cause an acute condition.
C. because they need transportation for chemotherapy.
D. at the request of a family member who is emotionally upset.
B. when complications from cancer cause an acute condition.
Dementia is MOST accurately defined as:
A. an acute deterioration in mental function caused by a stroke.
B. a hereditary condition that is most common after the age of 70 years.
C. a progressive and usually irreversible decline in mental functions.
D. a normal process in which the patient slowly loses mental function.
C. a progressive and usually irreversible decline in mental functions.
An elderly person who has a malnourished appearance has MOST likely experienced:
A. neglect.
B. sexual abuse.
C. physical abuse.
D. emotional abuse.
A. neglect